The invention relates to a vacuum street sweeper, including the motorized vehicular type having one or more hydraulically driven components, such as a vacuum blower, brooms, and steering unit.
The harder the hydraulic components work, the hotter the hydraulic oil becomes. Known sweepers typically rely upon either a large oil sump for cooling, or an oil cooler placed in front of the engine radiator.
In the present invention, an efficient cooling system for the hydraulic work circuit is provided, which may be used alone or in combination with the above-noted cooling systems. Means are provided for utilizing otherwise wasted exhaust air from the vacuum blower for cooling hydraulic oil. Hydraulic conduit is disposed in the exhaust path of the vacuum blower and is cooled by the latter. The faster the blower runs, the more air flows across the conduit for cooling. The invention does not interfere with the primary purpose of the blower in developing suction for cleaning, yet facilitiates usage of the exhausted air which is otherwise unutilized.
The hydraulic cooling system in accordance with the invention facilitiates a particulary compact sweeper. This is due to multiple utilization of available space, and to the elimination, if desired, of space otherwise needed for auxiliary cooling systems.